Conneaut Lake

[Cody]

Conneaut Lake

I was wondering if anyone has any advice to help shorten the learning curve for a first time trip for me to Conneaut Lake in Pa. I will be going next week and launching at the PFBC. launch at the north end of the lake. I will be trolling. Trying to get some Muskie fishing in till the NY. opener. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Cody !!!

[Ivan]

I'd pick a different lake personally. Conneaut hasn't ever been very good for muskies imo. I havent fished it much though. Got one to win a tournament in November there a long time ago.

 

But, if you are trolling id try short lining shallow to start and then try a little deeper along the break. There should be nice weeds starting and theres some cool structure there for a small lake. Id focus on both ends and the west side. Theres also a hump kind of mid lake but thats probably more of a summer spot.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

[Ivan]

If you are coming to crawford county and want some action maybe try edinboro or woodcock. I havent been to either in years but id choose either of those over conneaut for actually catching fish. They are all small lakes. Woodcock is a 9.9 lake i think.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

[Ivan]

On second thought, I shouldn't be so critical. I haven't fished any of these places in more than 10 years so I'm basing my opinion on pretty old experiences. The fishing could be completely different now.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[zach]

Dr dave used to fish here, he said it was 6 pike for every muskie and he did best on wileys over the weeds. State record came outta that lake but that was like 40 years ago, best luck if ya get out.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cody]

Adam and Zach information was a great help. thank you both ! I was going to give Kinzua a try but so many people told me "Its a needle in the haystack" there and I could fish 50 trips there and not get a rip. Thanks once again !

[Ivan]

PA state record muskie was caught there in 1924. That's almost 100 years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[zach]

Sorry about the bad info, knew it was a long time ago.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[toothyfishman]

I live by the haystack. 

I've boated 3 there my whole life.

Nice scenery. .....lol.....

[Cody]

How many trips was that to catch 3 at Kinzua ? Is it worth the trip ?

[toothyfishman]

That's my total muskie careers worth of fishing. 

No way would I travel there to fish and expect any action.

10 plus years! 

Edited May 17, 2017 by toothyfishman
Adding too.

[toothyfishman]

Back when I traveled to fish a lot I was always over 125 fish for the year so I should be able to figure them out if there was enough there to catch. 

Not so much. .......

Soon as NY opens I don't fish there. 

 

[zach]

Frank- Ur on fb now, lou finally. Nice to finally have the tourney champ here with us, Ur knowledge is insane and Ur a good dude- best of both worlds.

I am gunning for ya at Chautauqua as ur the man to beat!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[toothyfishman]

Maybe try some bakers there. 

They work pretty good

[Cody]

Wow 10 years 3 fish ! Have you made many trips there in 10 years ? That isn't a good percentage if you have put in a lot of trips there in 10 years.

[toothyfishman]

Some years I get determined and fish it hard.

Some years I get pissed and only go 10 or so times.

Results are the same. 

Its a 12,000 lake. 

I help with the stocking,  years ago we got 6000 fish,  one year none. 

Then bumped us to 9000, 9500, 9500, and this year none!

They just aren't getting any results from the stocking and I heard through the grapevine that they are done with it.

Not 100% sure on that. 

I still have hopes that I can stay in PA and have a shot at fishing close to home but we have nothing to offer really!

It's a shame! 

[toothyfishman]

When I say this year none on the stocking that would be last fall, October is when it happens if it does. 

 

[Ivan]

PA sucks Frank. I just heard this week they aren't even stocking Pymatuning with muskies this year. I also heard they expect natural reproduction to handle the river. I hope these things arent true but PA muskie management program seems to be going from bad to worse.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Cody]

The musky inc club around Chester. Pa. stocking their local lakes well and seem to produce good results. Fished Conneaut no fish should of went to Edinboro . Won't return to Conneaut, didn't really like it.

 

[toothyfishman]

At the muskie max I was talking to fish commish and they said they'd like to make kinzua a trophy pike lake.

I said what a F-ing joke that is.

They are naturally there,  they reproduce on their own. Just what they need, self regulating program they have nothing to do with.....I said what is your part in that? 

Maybe raise the size limit. .....

That was about the time our 45 mintue chat was over. Think I crossed the line, I was being nice up until that point.

I'll take my travel, food, lodging, launch,lic fees, somewhere else. 

I truly don't think they get it.

The guys who fish bass fish bass, walleye guys fish walleye,  etc etc etc.

A muskie guy is going to go where the fish are. 

Until PA has a lake that has a poplutaion where a guy could go and plan on having action that's not going to happen. 

Any day at chautauqua you see PA, NY, OH, sometimes WV plates in the parking lot. 

Have fish. ...people will come. 

In McKean and Warren County we don't have much. 

A little tourism our way could help the the area out.

Our deer population is terrible, most camps are for sale.  But that's another whole division of BS that could stir up hours of debates.

 

[toothyfishman]

All the oil lease, logging roads, gas roads, and national forest roads this place could be a mecca for snowmobiling and 4-wheeling.

Like WV........tons of guys from here go there to ride.

They are welcomed there , not chased and harassed.

But.....we have the same snowmobile trail loop that we had when I was 10 years old.....35 years we couldn't add to or make more. 

Your riding a 4 wheeler you better be watching your back,  unless your on a lease which is starting to pop up around here because of it.

Won't be long and our area will look like the southern part of the state. 

A no trespassing sign on every tree.

They miss the big picture.

On all of it......

Fines and DUI is how they want to make their money.

Not tourism and registrations.

[toothyfishman]

If they ever do get their crap together they will probably focus on some little crappy lake with a HP restrictions, or the river which would require a jetboat in most places instead of a big lake that anyone could bring their normal fishing boat they use at their home waters. 

I figure I'll be dead and gone by time trophy waters ever happen in PA .

Zach you mentioned it was nice to see me on the website.

I've always been, I just read and not post cause........

It just gets my blood boiling when I start thinking about this kind of BS....

I'm done bashing PA, they dont get it and after all the time 3 rivers have invested in them,  they still don't get it.

Lol......

Come on NY season!!!!!

[toothyfishman]

Cody, for the record I wasnt trying to keep you away with the post and poor catch rates. It's tough,  guys who really fish it hard are getting 1 or 2 fish, if any.

A SEASON.........

The good news. 

All the bashing the reservations get.

They got a good thing going on.

They have their own hatchery and are really helping the walleye fishing out there. 

They are my next plan of attack.

See if they will bite into a muskie program. When I discussed it with them they said they were new and just getting their feet on the ground with the walleye. 

If they would stock muskie maybe one would swim to PA they could claim victory on.

Cody......I sure wish we had something great for you. ...and us!

[zach]

Frank aka toothyfisherman- went to ohio n used Ur retriever 7x in 3 days saving me hundreds of dollars in baits, didn't leave 1 on the bottom of lake thx to u.

As for struggles with muskie clubs- I hear ya as we also have had internal conflicts but hope we don't loose our goals in the process.

As for saying I'm gunning for ya at Chautauqua, it's bc Ur as good as they come- u n Ivan smash it like few others can n know um half joking.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[zach]

If Ur gonna be at Chautauqua opening week, I'll be there Monday thru thursday living outta a tent with the dog like a dirty hippie which ain't too far from the truth.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Lake Ontario United mobile app